Republicans Get Sound Advice on Immigration…From The New York Times

Republicans are standing out on the ledge contemplating their next move. They have an air of desperation, having lost an election they believe they should have won. They are reckoning with the unpleasant reality that the nation’s fastest growing group of voters, Hispanics, doesn’t love them.

All of the experts are telling them that Hispanics will never love Republicans so long as they block the path to amnesty for millions of illegal aliens. Their advice is simple: Take a leap of faith that once you give in to the demands of those pushing amnesty for illegal aliens, you will land softly in the loving embrace of Hispanic voters.

Suddenly, amid the cacophony of voices urging them to jump emerges a voice of reason from, of all places, The New York Times. The Old Gray Lady is not known for having a soft spot for the Grand Old Party. But, nevertheless,an article in the paper’s business section offers some sobering advice for those in the GOP who think that amnesty will win them Hispanic votes.

“Hispanics are more liberal than the general population on economic matters, polls suggest, and more supportive of Big Government initiatives. Granting them citizenship would give them the vote,” writes reporter Eduardo Porter. For those Republicans who may be confused, that means they are not likely to vote for the party that stands for smallergovernment.

In fact, the Times surmises, enactment of amnesty for “11 million mostly poor illegal immigrants with relatively little education” would result in even bigger deficit financed government. “[C]hances are [amnesty] would cost the government money,” Porter notes. And probably lots of it.

It’s not as if the Republicans haven’t already figured this out on their own. Since the last go-round on amnesty in 2007, a new high ticket item has been added to the already daunting cost of legalizing millions of illegal aliens who would become eligible, over time, for means-tested entitlement programs.